Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Light Heavyweight

1. Rashad Evans (13-0-1)
With his brilliant knockout of Chuck Liddell at UFC 88 in September, Evans took an enormous leap into light heavyweight legitimacy. However, he truly validated himself when he halted Forrest Griffin at UFC 92 to capture the 205-pound crown and, with it, divisional supremacy.

2. Forrest Griffin (16-5-0)
Not only did Griffin lose his 205-pound UFC crown to Rashad Evans at UFC 92 in December, he also broke his right hand. Fortunately, the injury won't keep Griffin out as long as expected -- he anticipates a summer comeback.

3. Quinton Jackson (29-7)
After his brutal swatting of arch-nemesis Wanderlei Silva at UFC 92 in December, it seemed Jackson would be content to wait until the early summer for a blockbuster showdown with UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans. However, with Zuffa needing a main event for the March 7 UFC 96 bill in Columbus, Ohio, we'll now get an extra dose of "Rampage" as he takes on Evans' teammate, Keith Jardine.

4. Lyoto Machida (14-0)
Machida's brilliant bashing of Thiago Silva strengthened his claim to a deserved UFC light heavyweight title shot. However, his title opportunity rests on Keith Jardine, for whom the karateka will have to root to knock off the other would-be challenger, Quinton Jackson, in their March 7 showdown.

5. Chuck Liddell (21-6)
The on-again, off-again bout with Mauricio "Shogun" Rua is on again: They will finally meet in the co-main event of UFC 97 in Montreal on April 17. It’s a do-or-die bout for two men desperate to turn their fortunes in the 205-pound division.

6. Wanderlei Silva (32-9-1, 1 NC)
While a move to the 185-pound division may be imminent, "The Axe Murderer" might only slide partway down the scale for the time being. Reports suggest he will take on Rich Franklin in a catchweight contest at UFC 99 on June 13 in Cologne, Germany.

7. Keith Jardine (14-4-1)
Jardine was already slated for a tough bout against Luis Arthur Cane when Zuffa asked him to headline UFC 96. "The Dean of Mean" stepped up, and now he’ll take on former light heavyweight king Quinton Jackson on March 7 in Columbus, Ohio. The match will be perhaps Jardine's biggest to date.

8. Luis Arthur Cane (9-1)
Keith Jardine's promotion to main event duty at UFC 96 didn't leave "Banha" without an opponent for long. The surging Brazilian banger will take on former WEC light heavyweight champ Steve Cantwell at UFC 97 in Montreal on April 18.

9. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (16-3)
Thrilling it was not, but Nogueira avenged his August 2002 loss to Vladimir Matyushenko with a second-round stoppage at Affliction's Jan. 24 "Day of Reckoning." Next for Rogerio is likely a bout in Brazilian mainstay promotion Jungle Fight on April 25.

10. Thiago Silva (13-1)
Silva's first major bout couldn't have gone much more brutally. He was beaten from pillar to post by Lyoto Machida, who smashed the Brazilian banger just as the first round expired. If nothing else, it's hard to imagine Silva being so dominated in his next bout, no matter who the opponent is.

Other contenders: Rich Franklin, Jon Jones, Vladimir Matyushenko, Mauricio Rua, Renato Sobral.